Supreme Court Cases Flashcards
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
President John Adams appointed several justices before his presidency ended, but when they weren’t fulfilled in time, Marbury sued for his entitled spot in the new Supreme Court.
Does the Court have the power to issue a writ of mandamus to establish Marbury’s position on the court?
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
When Congress established the Second Bank of the United States, Maryland imposed taxes on it, and cashier James McCulloch refused to pay them.
Did Congress have the power to establish a national bank?
Did Maryland interfere with federal law by imposing the tax?
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
New York implemented laws that would give state residents exclusive navigation privileges in operating steamboats, but as other states implemented the law, it required operators like Ogden to pay hefty fees over state boundaries and limiting trade.
Do states have the power to regulate or put implications on interstate commerce?
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)
The Cherokee tribe in Georgia was suing for its implementation of hateful laws that violated their rights.
Did the states have the authority to issue the laws?
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1856)
Dred Scott moved from the slave state of Missouri to the free state of Illinois, and he sued that his time in a free state makes him a free man.
Was Dred Scott considered a free man or a slave?
Miranda v. Arizona (1965)
The case was a blanket for a number of rulings, but this particular case detailed Ernesto Miranda, who was convicted of rape and murder after signing a confession without being informed of his rights.
Does interrogating suspects or criminals without informing them of their rights violate the Fifth Amendment?
Plessy v. Ferguson (1895)
During Southern segregation, Plessy, who was only one-eigth, was arrested for not moving from a “whites-only” train car.
Did public racial segregation violate the equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment?
Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Order 9066 gave military the power to remove Japanese people from areas of national security, and Korematsu refused to move from San Leandro, California.
Did the president and Congress exceed their war powers and violate the rights of people of Japanese descent?
Brown v. Board of Education
During the time, it was acceptable to segregate schools solely on race, but the “separate but equal” mantra was failing the minority students’ education.
Does segregation in schools violate the rights of minority children under the Fourteenth Amendment?
Escobedo v. Illinois (1963)
Danny Escobedo was taking for questioning in a murder investigation, denied rights to see his lawyer, and ultimately confessed to murder without consultation.
Should Escobedo have been given rights to see his lawyer under the Sixth Amendment?
Gideon v. Wainwright (1962)
Gideon was put on trial for misdemeanor crimes and was denied representation, so when he tried to represent himself, he was charged with a five year sentence.
Does the right to counsel under the Sixth Amendment apply to state courts?
Roe v. Wade (1971)
Jane Roe sought to end her pregnancy early via abortion, but it was deemed illegal under Texas law, where they were only legal if the pregnancy threatened the mother’s life.
Is a woman’s right to abortion legal under the constitution?
U.S. v. Nixon (1974)
Investigators of the Watergate Scandal requested audio tapes of the Oval Office, of which Nixon denied them access.
Can the president issue “executive privilege” to safeguard information?
Bush v. Gore
During the close race of Bush v. Gore, the Bush campaign requested that some votes be retallied by hand and postponed.
Was the Florida Supreme Court allowed to make new election laws?
National Federal of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012)
The passage of the “Obamacare” act forced citizens to pay into national healthcare plans or lose Medicaid privileges.
Can Congress force patients to choose between PPACA and Medicaid? Can all residents be required to pay for health insurance?
